Street Begging: Senate Moves For Upgrade Of Jonathan’s Almajiri Model Schools

The Upper chamber of the National Assembly is considering the adoption of the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Almajiri Model Schools in the North in a bid to curb the menace of street begging in that part of the country.

It, therefore, resolved to prevail on the Federal government to upgrade the existing Almajiri model schools as well as build more to increase enrolment of uneducated kids in the geo-political zone.

Consequently, the upper chamber of the National Assembly mandated its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to come up with ways and means of collaborating with the affected state governments on getting the 14 million children that are currently out of school enrolled in universal basic and secondary education progammes.

The red chamber also called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to initiate a programme on almajiri and the negative effects on children in the society.

Senator Muhammadu Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), while moving a motion on the “need to integrate almajiri education into the modern system of education in Nigeria as a matter of urgent national importance”, appreciated the Bayelsa-born ex-leader for embarking on the laudable projects.

He said: “The past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan embarked on this laudable project by building boarding Almajiri integrated model schools in which these children are enrolled and given both Islamic and western education.”

The lawmaker observed that the project was launched in Sokoto State when the Mallams (teachers) were employed to teach Qur’anic and other Islamic subjects in the schools.

He regretted that today, some of the structures are either lying fallow or being used for something else.

“Some of the facilities in Almajiri model schools are already decaying, as they have never been put to use,” Aliero said.